1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to manufacturing methods and systems. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to manufacturing methods and systems suited for materials that are susceptible to deformation during the manufacturing process.
2. Related Art
Parts made from composite materials, such as aircraft parts, may be manufactured in a process that involves forming the parts on or in a mold that bears the shape of the part being manufactured. In such processes, ingredients of the composite parts such as reinforcing fiber and resin are applied to the mold, cured, and then removed from the mold for additional processing and inspection. Depending on the material used and the curing process, the part may not retain its shape after being removed from the mold on which it is cured due to structural changes that occur in the part during the curing process. To address this problem, the shape of the mold may be modified to compensate for the changes in the size and shape of the part such that when the part is removed from the mold it assumes the size and shape of the original part design.
When the part is removed from the manufacturing mold it is fitted onto a trim tool to be finished and then inspected to ensure that it conforms to the size and shape of the original part design. Unfortunately, fitting the part onto the trim tool is another step in the manufacturing process, requiring additional time and resources and introducing the possibility of human or machine error. Furthermore, if the part being manufactured is large or complex, accurately placing the part on the trim tool may be particularly difficult and require tedious manual effort.